Celebrating Nutrition

Hello everyone!! So as of yesterday, I have officially completed the program in Quezon, Quezon. I am currently writing this post in Unisan, Quezon – my father’s hometown. On Thursday, I rode a boat for about one hour and was picked up by two of my aunts in Gumaca. We arrived in Unisan after a quick, forty-five minute car ride. I know I have not written in a while! So I will talk about some of my experiences from the last two weeks.

Since July is known as Nutrition Month, many of the events sponsored by the Rural Health Unit (RHU) are intended to encourage people to be more attentive to their health. In Quezon (and several other parts of the Philippines), many adults are hypertensive and diabetic, and a number of children are malnourished. Nutrition-related programs provide families with some of the resources they need to live healthier lifestyles.

Starting about two weeks ago, the participants and I traveled to different barangays and assisted in conducting Nutrition Caravans. Parents/guardians brought their children to the Barangay Health Station to receive check-ups by staff from the RHU. [Side note: Staff from the RHU visit each Barangay Health Station to conduct consultations/provide medications at least once a month.] The participants and I obtained each child's height, weight, Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC), and checked for edema. From this information, we were able to classify each child as Normal, Moderate Acute Malnourished (MAM), and Severe Acute Malnourished (SAM). Fortunately, most children were not considered malnourished. The children classified as MAM or SAM were provided with a plan and supplements/vitamins.

During those one and a half weeks, we visited five of the twenty-four barangays of Quezon: Gumubat, Cometa, Caridad, Sabang, Silangan. While examining the children, I also observed the wide variability between the Barangay Health Stations.

Some stations had access to a larger, outdoor venue such as this:

But others had to conduct multiple consultations in a small room while patients waited outside:

Unfortunately, not all Barangay Health Stations are created equal or are given the same resources. This may

be a result of poor planning or unequal distribution of funding. Although the stations do not have as many resources (example: a doctor) as the RHU, health workers can provide patients with more immediate advice for their health concerns. For one of our Nutrition Caravans, we visited Sabang, which is the barangay furthest from the RHU. In order to get there, we rode motorcycles for around thirty minutes and a boat for around twenty minutes. Without nearby Barangay Health Stations, families living in that barangay would have to spend time and money to travel to the RHU. If this was the case, sick patients might not seek help immediately. For many, taking off from work just to travel is not an option. It would be seen as economically-unproductive and can result in consequences, such as not being able to afford meals. Weather is another factor to consider. It is more preferable to take a boat since the road towards Sabang is not yet well-developed. During storms, it would be even more difficult for families to travel all the way to the RHU. Although each station functions differently, they have the common purpose to provide free and nearby healthcare for those who need it.

In honor of Nutrition Month, barangays and schools were challenged to grow and design their own

gardens. As a result, I had the opportunity to see them and visit almost ~all~ twenty-four barangays of Quezon! Staff from the RHU and the Department of Agriculture graded each garden according to a criteria, which included factors like the variety of plants and number of recycled decorations. There were first, second, and third place cash prizes for the schools and barangays with the highest average grades. Although it was a long day of traveling, it was fulfilling to see the effort and creativity of each barangay/school.

The following morning, there was an end-of-the-month celebration, which included a small parade of students/workers/community members, a speech from the mayor, a PowerPoint presentation of the gardens, and the awarding of the prizes. It was especially festive because of the performances and overall energy of the elementary and high school students. When the winners of the contest were being announced, everyone was attentive, cheerful, and lively.

It was truly a blessing to have witnessed some of Quezon’s programs throughout Nutrition Month. Congratulations Quezon, Quezon for being awarded for having the “Promising Municipal Nutrition Committee”! The educational and enjoyable festivities were a reflection of the committee’s hard-work and dedication.

Since the program has come to an end, I will write some closing thoughts and experiences in another blog post. This program has made me feel an array of emotions that is difficult to describe. Fortunately, I have the following two weeks in Unisan to reflect on my experiences from the past month.

Until next time,

Jen